Warming the crust ingredients ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

The recipe made enough nut crust and egg/mustard coating for 4 chicken breasts so I’d say this recipe actually serves 4. Maybe a sauce would have made it even better but gravy would have been too thick and covered up the wonderful flavors in the chicken so I’m not sure what kind of sauce would work best. I’ll have to look into it.

We both agree it HAS to be made again, maybe I’ll try pecans next time just to compare and contrast. I’d say hand’s on time was about 20 minutes max. Here is my Almond-Crusted Chicken: #americastestkitchen

Almond-Crusted Chicken Breasts ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2012

 

From America’s Test KitchenServes 2Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat (see note)
• Kosher salt
• 1/2cup roughly chopped almonds
• 2tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
• 1medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1/2cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated zest from 1 lemon, zested lemon cut into 4 wedges
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350ºF. Using fork, poke thickest half of each breast 5 to 6 times. Place on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and evenly sprinkle each breast with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt). Refrigerate, uncovered, while preparing coating.

2. Process nuts in food processor until they resemble coarse meal, about 20 one-second pulses. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, swirling pan constantly, until butter turns golden brown and has nutty aroma, 4 to 5 minutes. Add shallot and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt); cook, stirring constantly, until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add panko and ground nuts; cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer panko mixture to shallow dish or pie plate and stir in lemon zest, thyme, and cayenne.4. Lightly beat eggs, mustard and black pepper together in second shallow dish or pie plate. Place flour in third shallow dish or pie plate. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess, then coat with egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Coat all sides of chicken with panko mixture, pressing gently so that crumbs adhere. Transfer breaded chicken to clean wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken.

5. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160ºF, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.